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Shopping for a new home can be overwhelming. With such an expensive purchase and long-term commitment, you want to be certain you’re going to be satisfied.

In this article we’ll talk about what to look for when buying a house and what you need to consider when evaluating the most important elements of a home.

Of course, choosing a home is a highly personal decision. As you think about the different aspects of a home, rank their level of importance to your needs and then decide which ones are negotiable and which ones are deal-breakers.

If you haven’t already, you should determine how much home you can afford and what kind of area you’d like to live in (include neighborhood and school district in your decision) before you start seriously looking at houses.

Whether or not the house’s bedrooms are suitable for your needs will depend on what you plan on using them for. For example, families with small children might not want a house where the master bedroom is on a different floor from the other bedrooms in the house. If you plan on converting an extra bedroom into a home office, you might prefer a layout where the bedrooms are farther away from the hustle and bustle of the kitchen and living room. Ultimately it’s going to come down to what best fits your needs.

Again, the sizes and number of bedrooms are important considerations. However, there are plenty of other factors you should also think about including closet space, sources of natural and artificial light, views from the windows, general privacy, whether there’s an attached bathroom to the master bedroom and other factors.

One seemingly small detail that can end up being a big deal? Number and location of electrical outlets. This is especially important if the natural or built-in light in a bedroom isn’t sufficient, as you’ll be plugging in at least one or two lamps.

Bathrooms

When you’re checking out the bathroom, make sure everything’s in working order. With the seller or agent’s permission, flush the toilets, test the faucets and even turn on the shower. Make sure the fan works. Look under the sink and around the toilet for leaks and water damage. Keep an eye out for mold as well. It may seem a little overbearing, but if you’re seriously considering buying a house you want to make sure there are no post-move-in surprises like low water pressure or plumbing problems.

Make note of what type of shower or tub each bathroom has. Is it just a shower, or is it a shower and bathtub combo? Does it have glass doors or a curtain? Is the bathtub made of porcelain or a low-quality plastic? Bathroom renovations can be costly, so make sure you’re either happy with the bathrooms as-is or prepared to pay for improvements down the line.